Gunmen on Christmas Day shot an assistant parish priest of Saint Kelvin Catholic Church, Ogbaku, in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The priest, whose identity had yet to be officially confirmed at the time of filing this report, was reportedly shot at about 8am on Christmas Day while approaching the church gate for morning Mass.
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the priest was hit in the right hand, adding that the assailant was not seen at the scene.
According to the source, the gunmen appeared to have fired from a concealed and distant location, making it difficult for anyone around to identify the shooters.
The priest was reportedly rushed to an unidentified hospital, where he is currently undergoing medical treatment. According to reports, prayers for his recovery are still ongoing.
The insider described the situation as follows: “The gunshot occurred on Christmas Day, when everyone was in a festive mood.
“The priest was trying to enter the gate for the morning mass, but we just heard a sound, and the next thing, he was in pain because he had been shot.
“Probably it was a stray bullet from somewhere nearby, but the twist was that no one saw who fired the shot. Meanwhile, the priest is in the hospital being treated for gunshot wounds, and prayers are being offered for his survival.”
DSP Henry Okoye, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Command, confirmed the occurrence but stated that it had not yet been formally reported to the police.
He stated, “Yes, I am aware of the incident, though the church has yet to officially report the shooting.” However, the Divisional Police Officer for Owerri West went to the church to verify the claims. He has also demanded to visit the priest to help with the investigation.”
Meanwhile, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, confirmed the shooting but stated that the names of those guilty were unknown.
The Command stated that investigations are currently underway to determine the facts behind the occurrence.
